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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23065279">Breathe</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonchxld10/pseuds/Moonchxld10'>Moonchxld10</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family Feels, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Worried Eddie Diaz, Worried Evan "Buck" Buckley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:54:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,953</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23065279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonchxld10/pseuds/Moonchxld10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was almost morning when they had returned to the station. A heavy silence filled the air. Some small sighs of relief could be heard when they realize that their shift would be over in a few minutes.</p><p>They had just come back from one of the most stressful calls they had in a while, especially since it involved a little boy. The fact that most of them have children didn’t help to calm and control their emotions while facing the situation. And that’s why the clock approaching the end of the shift was like a release of all the stress and pressure. </p><p>Or How Buck and Eddie act and feel after associating a call with Christopher.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>212</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Breathe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, it's been a long time since I did one of these.<br/>I'm planning some other fics but I have to find the time to work on them.<br/>So here's a draft based on one of the calls seen in the promo for 3b.</p><p>Sorry if there's any kind of mistake, English is not my first language.</p><p>Hope you enjoy it :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was almost morning when they had returned to the station. A heavy silence filled the air. Some small sighs of relief could be heard when they realize that their shift would be over in a few minutes.</p><p>They had just come back from one of the most stressful calls they had in a while, especially since it involved a little boy. The fact that most of them have children didn’t help to calm and control their emotions while facing the situation. And that’s why the clock approaching the end of the shift was like a release of all the stress and pressure. </p><p> </p><p>Eddie was sitting on a bench by the locker room, his head on his hands while he looked at his feet. He needed this last minutes of the shift to go by quickly, he needed to go home. He thinks they all needed to go home. </p><p>The image of that little boy stuck in such a small well was engraved in his mind. All the emotions he had to hide to help calm the boy were all coming back to him. A flood of emotions was invading him. </p><p>At the scene, he had to be the one in charge of the rescue. At least, he felt as if he had to be him because the only thing going through his mind was what if that was Christopher? </p><p>That boy stayed 10 hours, 10 freaking hours stuck there alone, hurt and afraid. He didn’t know how the boy survived this, but he was so glad he did. Even though he would probably be traumatized for some time.</p><p>Eddie felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t need to look up to know that it was Buck. He understood quickly that their shift had ended. So he made his way to the locker room followed close by Buck. He seriously was trying is best to go as fast as he could, so he could just go home. The call had created in him a need to see Christopher and just held him close. </p><p> </p><p>When he finally had changed and was ready to go, he looked at Buck who was almost done too. He hesitated to wait for him so they could make their way to their trucks together. Buck saw the hesitation on his best friend's face, and with only a small nod and a quick head movement, he told him to go, to go home to Christopher. Eddie couldn’t help but smile slightly at the gesture before making his way out of the station. </p><p> </p><p>On the way home, he kept relieving the call. He still couldn’t get his mind wrap around the fact that it was mostly not an accident, that the boy didn’t fell accidentally on that well, that in reality, it looked like someone had pushed him. He had heard Athena quickly mention it to Hen when they were at the scene. She had told her to keep an eye on the family, more precisely on the father, while they were waiting with her by the ambulance. They had reasons to believe that the father had been the source of the incident. Eddie was waiting at a red light clenching the wheel, a wave of anger invaded him. How could a father do that to his own son? </p><p> </p><p>When he arrived home, Eddie could see the lights were still out indicating that Chris and his Abuela, who had come over to look after Chris exceptionally for the night, were still sleeping. He tried not to make noise while going to his son’s room. When he opened the door and saw him laying in his bed sleeping he finally let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. All the pressure seemed to go way just by looking at his son's peaceful face. He approached quietly the bed and ran slightly a hand through his hair before deposing a small kiss on his forehead. </p><p>When he came out of the room, he saw his Abuela standing there looking at him. He approached her and hugged her silently. </p><p>“Though call ?” Asked Isabel kissing his grandson's cheek. He nodded for response. “Deberías ir a dormir un poco antes que él se despierte, o por lo menos acostarte y relajar un poco.” </p><p>Eddie kissed Abuela's cheek before going to his room. He changed quickly in some sweats and got in bed. </p><p>He tried to close his eyes but his mind was still going on about the call. He quickly reached for his phone and before he knew he was calling Buck. The phone only rang once before he answered. </p><p> </p><p>“Everything alright ?” A worried voice quickly said. </p><p>“Yes yes, I just needed to talk.” Announced Eddie calmly. He heard Buck let out a quick sigh.</p><p>“Are you alright ?” Asked Eddie after a small silence between them.</p><p>“To be honest I don’t know.” Whispered Buck but it was almost inaudible. Eddie could hear noises of cars going by around his best friend.</p><p>“Buck are you at home ?” Asked worriedly Eddie, but Buck didn’t answer. “Evan ...”</p><p>“No, I’m in my car, still parked at the station” announced Buck, whining slightly afterward realizing how small he sounded.</p><p>“Why ?”</p><p>“I was going to go home but I couldn’t move. I found myself paralyzed not wanting to go” explained the younger man quickly. “It was awful Eddie, I can’t get that image out of my head. And I know, I know I don’t have the same right as you to feel this way. But I just kept thinking what if ...” started Buck before forcing himself to stop. </p><p>Eddie quickly understood what was going on. “What if it was Christopher ?” He could hear Buck nod. “You wanna come by ?” </p><p>“No, you need to rest.”</p><p>“Please Evan, come by." Insisted Eddie. </p><p>“Yeah.. ok I will be there in a few.” Answered Buck unsure of himself.</p><p>“Please drive safely, he is alright.” Said Eddie before hanging up. </p><p> </p><p>Buck closed eyes and took a few seconds to breathe before turning on the engine of his truck. He was feeling awful about the call but at the same time, he was feeling awful about feeling this way. He felt like he didn’t have the right to feel this way. He didn’t have kids, at least of his own. He couldn’t be feeling the same way has Hen. He knew Chimney was feeling awful about the call but he also knew that Chimney wasn’t feeling the same way as the others. So Buck didn't feel like he was authorized to be feeling like this.</p><p>When Bobby had explained to them what the call was about, it was like he didn’t have air in his lungs anymore. The first thing that came to his mind was Christopher. After that, he was on edge during the call, like he could break at any moment. When they came back to the station he knew everyone was going home to someone. Which was not his case, he would go to an empty apartment. Normally that wouldn't have been a big problem. But today it was different. He knew his mind wouldn't shut down, it was a mix of anxiety from the tsunami and his mind projecting Christopher in the same situation as that little boy. He didn't even notice he was clenching his wheel all the way to Eddie's before his hands relaxed when he finally pulled up to the house. </p><p> </p><p>Buck quickly made his way to the front door, only to see Eddie open it for him. A small smile appeared on his face. Eddie let Buck enter only for him to be greeted by Abuela, who quickly took the younger man in her arms while she whispered to him some reassuring words in Spanish.</p><p>”I’m going to go make you both some coffee” announced the woman quickly leaving the two of them alone.</p><p>Buck kinda stood there without knowing what to do. Eddie took control of the situation by taking Buck’s hand and making the younger man follow him to his son's bedroom. They stopped in front of the door, Buck looking at Eddie hesitant and kinda searching for approval. Eddie responded to the silent pleads only by slowly opening the door. He stood there watching Buck do the exact same thing he did when he came home.</p><p> </p><p>When Buck reached the bed it was easier to breathe, like his lungs suddenly remember how to properly function. He couldn’t help himself, he had to run a hand through the boy's hair to reassure himself that it wasn’t his mind playing games with him. He didn’t want to wake up Christopher so he didn’t stay much longer.</p><p>He returned to Eddie's side so they could both make their way to the living room. They both sat comfortably on the couch at the same time, a sigh leaving their mouths and their eyes closed to allow them to process everything. </p><p>"Here drink this..." Started Abuela handing each one a cup of coffee "...I'm going to go start on the breakfast it shouldn't be long before he wakes"</p><p>Buck started to bounce his leg and look nervously between the cup of coffee and Eddie. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Eddie just sat there as all of this was normal, like it was nothing him being here instead of being at his apartment resting after a long and complicated day of work, and mostly like it was perfectly normal seeing him feel this way towards Christopher. </p><p> </p><p>"Buck, are you alright ?"</p><p>"Why ?" </p><p>"Why what ?"</p><p>"I don't have any right to be feeling like this and you are acting as if I actually should be feeling like this." Explained Buck quickly looking down at his lap. </p><p>"Actually I would be worried if you didn't feel like this." Started Eddie which made the younger man look at him intrigued. Before explaining himself, Eddie put his free hand on Buck's knee "You are more of a father to my son than that man from the call was ever to his own son. Actually, I'm sorry, I should have told you to come with me right away at the station, but my own anxiety took over and I just needed to see him. I know this is not the moment to have this conversation we are exhausted both mentally and physically, but yes I'm acting normal because this is normal when you have a child. I have already wrap my mind about the fact that you are his other parental figure. And I promise you after we both take some well-deserved rest we will talk more calmly about all of this if you want. I just need you to know that I'm a hundred percent ok with this because I want this, all of this, with both of you."</p><p> </p><p>Buck felt his eyes watering, he couldn't tell if it was from relief of the day or from knowing Eddie felt the same way. </p><p>"Come here let's rest a little while we wait for him to wake up" </p><p>Buck closed the small space that was separating them, while Eddie put an arm around his shoulders before they both closed their eyes. </p><p> </p><p>The house was silent, the two boys hadn't moved from the couch for several minutes now, but the sound of Christopher's crouches made their eyes fully open. They were on their feet so fast and their faces just lit up seeing Christopher arriving in the living room. </p><p>"Daddy! Buck!" Exclaimed the boy when he saw them. Both men just dropped to their knees to embrace him.</p><p>And that's how Abuela found them, hugging on the ground with Christopher between them, who was clearly both pleased and amused by the situation.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*Deberías ir a dormir un poco antes que él se despierte, o por lo menos acostarte y relajar un poco = You should go sleep a little before he wakes up, or at least go to bed and relax a bit.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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